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It's Time To Appreciate D.C.'s Colorful Crape Myrtles
I've been watching them. This is a good year for them.
JUL 16, 4:25 PM
It’s Time To Appreciate D.C.’s Colorful Crape Myrtles
Gaspard Le Dem
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the District’s most popular attractions. Each spring, it draws more than a million tourists eager to gawk at the delicate pink and white blossoms that liven the city’s somewhat brutal architecture.
But while there’s no denying that cherry blossoms are gorgeous, they aren’t the only flamboyantly colored trees that deserve your attention. The District is also lined with hundreds of crape myrtles, and you may not have realized that they’re in full bloom as we speak.
They may not be as dainty as cherry blossoms, but crape myrtle flowers are easily as colorful, ranging from pure white, to red, to a purple-ish magenta. On top of that, they last a whole lot longer—cherry blossoms usually fade less than two weeks after blooming. Crape myrtles are also known for leaving a blanket of petals on sidewalks as they fade.
“One of the large draws to crape myrtles is that the bloom is so long,” says Robert Shaut, director of tree planting at Casey Trees, a local non-profit dedicated to expanding the District’s canopy. “It’ll start in early July and it can even trickle into September. At a time where trees aren’t really flowering as much, you’re getting two months of show.”
Lagerstroemia Indica, the variety of crape myrtles that is most common to the region, is easy to grow and maintain, according to Shaut. They enjoy hot, sunny conditions and prefer mild winters, but will usually grow back even after a deep winter frost. What’s even better is that they’re usually free of pests and fungus. And for those worried about seasonal allergies—they aren’t heavy pollinators.
....
It’s Time To Appreciate D.C.’s Colorful Crape Myrtles
Gaspard Le Dem
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the District’s most popular attractions. Each spring, it draws more than a million tourists eager to gawk at the delicate pink and white blossoms that liven the city’s somewhat brutal architecture.
But while there’s no denying that cherry blossoms are gorgeous, they aren’t the only flamboyantly colored trees that deserve your attention. The District is also lined with hundreds of crape myrtles, and you may not have realized that they’re in full bloom as we speak.
They may not be as dainty as cherry blossoms, but crape myrtle flowers are easily as colorful, ranging from pure white, to red, to a purple-ish magenta. On top of that, they last a whole lot longer—cherry blossoms usually fade less than two weeks after blooming. Crape myrtles are also known for leaving a blanket of petals on sidewalks as they fade.
“One of the large draws to crape myrtles is that the bloom is so long,” says Robert Shaut, director of tree planting at Casey Trees, a local non-profit dedicated to expanding the District’s canopy. “It’ll start in early July and it can even trickle into September. At a time where trees aren’t really flowering as much, you’re getting two months of show.”
Lagerstroemia Indica, the variety of crape myrtles that is most common to the region, is easy to grow and maintain, according to Shaut. They enjoy hot, sunny conditions and prefer mild winters, but will usually grow back even after a deep winter frost. What’s even better is that they’re usually free of pests and fungus. And for those worried about seasonal allergies—they aren’t heavy pollinators.
....
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